Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-08-05
\: THE WALLED-IN ROOM.

near the man stood woman with a
bonnet with great white wings on the
sides, holding in her hand a moist
compress. The room was plain and
neat, with clean white walls. On
table, covered with a great napkin OF
yellow linen, l noted q number Of
strange objects-rows OF little Walls,
and q brown earthen jar filled with
bits OF ice. Through the muslin cur.
tains, which bellied out from the win.
dow in the balmy air, l could see q
patch of blue sky and the tops
green trees bending lightly in the
breeze Where was I? Itseemed Ikea
long dream that had; my head
felt empty, my limbs ached, and I
could not think.
The man gently lifted my head, and
gave me a few drops OF some liquid,
which swallowed with avidity.
"Well, Mr.. Furniss," he said, chow
do you feel?"
eth, what?" I cried. "Where am
r."
"You are in my house, my dear sir,
and we shall take good care of you.
Now" he added, replacing nv head
on the pillow, ''be quiet and go to
Sleep
Igazel at him for long time, and
all at once l recognized Doctor
Bertram, the celebrated specialist in
insanity. A shudder passed through
my frame. Why was I in Doctor Ber-
trans hospital, instead OF in my
home, near Phoenix Park, with my
books, my herbs, and my microscopes
around me? His hospital was for
mad people!-and that Sister OF Char
ity, those Walls, that bowl of ice-my
God, / must be mad! But why?-
how?
"How long have been here?"
asked, after a time. 5
"For four weeks, Mr.. Furniss- But
you must be quiet and sleep. Now do
not try to talk 81
For month"; Was it possible?
What had happened? But even as l
asked myself these questions, little
by little / went off to sleep, and
saw, in q billowy meadow, a
road covered with blood and
bordered on either side with mon
strous microscopes shaped like trees,
a road on which two little girls played
at pitch and catch with q severed
head while Doctor Bertram, comic
ally bonneted with a religious cap
rode astride OF a dead body, which
reared, and pranced, and kicked till
he could scarce keep his seat. Il
The next. morning I was better; and
day by day I improved, though that
horrible nightmare came to me each
night. But it grew less and less dis,
tinct, and in a few weeks it almost
ceased to trouble me. ,3~<G"@
One evening the doctor, whom I
had not seen during the day, seated
himself near the bed. ...
"Well," sand he, feeling my pulse,
"you are doing famously. I'll have
you out, asgood as new, in y few days.
But you've had close shave. It has
been one OF the prettiest cases OF cere-
bral congestion ever handled---a
beautiful case. Why, it's O wonder
you are alive now Tell me, how is
your memory; can you remember
what happened before you were
brought here?" J., Il g. ..s.@ III s%}i.
Ill don It know, can not think.
| have passed through something fear
fV1l nok 70 q 49, wv
the faint glimmer OF recollection that
comes to me, have che sensation OF
having been dead--murdered! Oh, it
is frightful. My brain is weak yet.
Then, the child, pretty golden hair
ed child-rolling on the floor" 3*%%
''Come, come, this will never do"
said the doctor. 1You can tell me all
about it in the morn 3$ 4ssl$
"No, now. DOCTOR" I cried. ut is
coming back to me. Yes ! have it
now" 5s 72r#
Here is an exact transcript Of my
recital as I told it to DR.. Bertram
and, later, to the magistrate.
You know my passion for natural
history. Well, scarcely = week passes
that / do not 20 ipto the country
botanizing. That day / went TO
Gancevin, whore, as you know, the
marshy meadows are rich In curious
plants, infusoria, and diatoms. was
returning, and was almost in Dublin
with my box full ofrare specimens, on
which expected to make 9 report
that would astonish the Botanical
Society, when saw q little girl. GER
tainly not more than Eve OF six years
old, who was all alone, crying as Il
her little heart would break. APP
preached her, hut at sight os me she
redoubled her cries. Z could see that
the little one was lost, and that she
did not know where to 90. so ! spoke
to her kindly, and, by dint Of pronlis-
ing her unlimited bonb ons, got her ",
tell me that her name was Lizzie. and
that she lived near Beresford Place u
( 4 Lower Abbey Street. Itook her hand,
and we soon started Of, liking to.
gether like old friends. She vas q
beautiful child. fresh and rosy, with
great, candid eye s and fair hair which
was cut short over her eyes and tell
IN golden rinplets about her nh 1lders.
She trotted bravely long her soft,
little hand holding my great !, rudy
paw onfdingly All We iked .slle
told me remark i Bic ales, III lalch
4 figured 81 big, black horse little
knife, q doll, and i number q people
8SssI did not know.
Lizzie vas q siii slas sould 81 scold.,
50 when she arrived home ,,tt IA, 9a